Life Span:	Around 12-15 years although some have lived longer
Litter Size:	4 to 8 puppies
Group:	Southern and AKC Hound
Recognized By:	CKC, AKC, ANKC, NKC, NZKC
Color:	According to the American Kennel Club standards, the color of Whippets is immaterial, but they come in different colors and patterns including solid black, solid white with red, fawn, blue, brindle (an appearance like tiger striped) and cream. It is not unusual for one litter to have a mixture of spots patches, stripes or blazes with no two pups looking the same. The Whippet dog comes in almost every color imaginable for a dog.
Hair Length:	Short
Size:	Medium
Shedding:	Moderate Shed
Male Height:	19-22 inches (47-56 cm)
Male Weight:	25-45 pounds (11-21 kg)
Female Height:	18-21 inches (44-54)
Female Weight:	25-45 pounds (11-21 kg)
General info courtesy of terrificpets.com. Additional information about this breed can be found on their website.
Living Area:	The Whippet is a dog that needs to be kept indoors for most of the time. While they enjoy playing outside and getting exercise, they are not physically and psychologically fit to be outdoors for any length of time. They have a very low fat content in their body and therefore overheat quickly as well as not being able to stand the cold. Their shorthaired coat does not grow an \'insulation\' coat like some dogs so they get uncomfortable in a short amount of time outside. They don\'t need a large home or yard and are most content when in the home with their family, so apartment life would suit them great. Because of their thin coat and low body fat content, they will not be able to lie on a hard floor for any long period. They do need a chance to go for a good run outdoors as they have a lot of pent up energy.

Description

The Whippet is a medium sized, active and playful shorthaired dog that is part of the sighthound family. They look like a greyhound, but are a breed of their own. They are gentle and quiet dogs that make great all around family pets. They become very attached to their family members, including the children and enjoy spending most of their day sleeping. Some Whippets are prone to \'excessive greeting disorder, which occurs when a dog will jump, bark, and howl when his owners return from any absence of 10 minutes for longer. This can be dangerous if you have young children in the home, so you may want to crate your Whippet while you are gone, so the family can enter the home safely before uncrating him.

Whippets are very active and athletic dogs that love pursuing their prey and do it with great enthusiasm. They generally don\'t snap or growl at other domestic animals. They are playful, loving dogs that have been given the nickname of \'Velcro dog\' because of how they love cuddling with you on the bed or couch. They are not a dog that is content to lay on the floor by themselves. They are very easy to housebreak whether they are male or female unlike some other breeds. The female is more strong willed and the male more loyal, but both sexes make excellent pets. It is important to remember that each dog is different and his training will go differently as well.

Whippets make great racing dogs due to the excellent speed, and have participated in many races such as lure coursing, straight racing and oval track racing. Whippets are such active and athletic dogs that they can easily jump on the top of the countertop, couch or wherever they want to be to see what is going on around them. If bored, they will chew on things so it is important to give them plenty of toys. Whippets were bred to chase, so it is important to always keep them on a leash while outdoors. If they see a small animal that they consider prey, they will chase and they can run up to 35 mph. By time they get tired of the chase, they could be miles from home and lost. Many Whippets lose their lives by being hit by a car.

Coat Description

The coat of the Whippet is fine, smooth and shorthaired. Their short coat does not turn into a "winter coat" like many longhaired dogs, and therefore, are not good outdoor dogs. They will not survive the bitter cold.

History

The Whippet dog first came to be in Northern England in the middle to late 19th century. Breeders crossed small terriers with greyhounds with the intent and hopes of getting a small but fast hound that could successfully hunt rabbits and other small game. The result was the Whippet. It was mostly the factory workers, mine workers and other working class people in England that owned the Whippet, so the became known as "poor man\'s greyhound" or "poor man\'s race horse". In their spare time, the workers raced their Whippets in the fields or roads with the use of a piece of cloth as the lure and the dog had to run a straight 200-yard track.

The American Kennel Club registered its first Whippet in 1888 under the name of Jack Dempsey. In 1891, the Whippet dog was recognized by the Kennel Club of England and was then recognized as a registerable breed in England. Since then, Whippets have become one of the most popular of the breed of hound dogs at dog shows. They have one many championships in different categories.

Temperament

Whippets are very loving and affectionate dogs that enjoy being with their family members as close as possible. This sweet and docile dog is very quiet and calm in you home and very seldom barks. They will bark when they want to get a point across to you or occasionally if they are unhappy about something. It is rare that they bark when visitors come to your home. They are extremely sensitive physically and emotionally so their training should be done with positive reinforcement and not in a physical way. Because of their sensitivity, they will notice things such as stress in the home and will actually get upset to the point of making themselves sick. Some ailments that can occur are severe digestive upsets, neurotic behavior and sick to their stomach.

They are intelligent and learn very quickly, but they are very independent dogs so don\'t expect perfection with them. By nature, they are standoffish with strangers, although they do bond with their family. They are such an easy going dog, that they would not make a good guard dog. It is because of their docile and passive nature that they are often placed in aging homes with the elderly. They are full of energy but love attention and affection and being in the home. While they enjoy exercise like all animals, their preference is to being inside the house with their family.

Thyroid Disease - Low Risk

The Whippet ranks #110 among all breeds for autoimmune thyroiditis prevalence. This is considered a low risk breed so your chances of obtaining a dog with the disease is small. It is still suggested that dogs meant for breeding still be tested to help bring the incidence of disease even lower (or even eliminate it). 

Rank Among Breeds	Number of Dogs Tested	Percent of Dogs With Disease
#110	350	2.9%

You can download the full report (on all breeds) by the Michigan State University Diagnostic Center for Population and Animal Health. Here

Other Health Problems

Unlike some dogs that are prone to many health diseases and disorders, the Whippet is typically a very healthy dog. With proper nutrition, exercise and food, they can live up to 15 years of age with minimal health problems. An occasion genetic eye disorder may affect Whippets, but this is rare. Breeders can do a test as a preventative measure if they intend on breeding the dog. The American Whippet Club recommends this test. Undescended testicles is one disorder that is common with Whippets. Heart disease is the second leading cause of death with Whippets and research believes there may be a connection with this and their slow heartbeat while resting. When they are getting exercise, the heartbeat is normal, but exceptionally slow while resting or sleeping. Unlike many dogs, hip Dysplasia is not a problem with Whippets.